Distributed feedback laser array

Abstract

A distributed feedback (DFB) laser array includes a substrate, a semiconductor stacked structure, a first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer. The semiconductor stacked structure is formed above a surface of the substrate and includes two light-emitting modules and a tunnel junction. Each light-emitting module of the two light-emitting modules includes an active layer, a first cladding layer, and a second cladding layer. The active layer is installed between the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer, and the active layer has multiple lasing spots along a first direction, wherein the multiple lasing spots are used for generating multiple lasers. The tunnel junction is installed between the two light-emitting modules. The first electrode layer is formed above the semiconductor stacked structure. The second electrode layer is formed above another surface of the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A distributed feedback laser array (DFB), comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a semiconductor stacked structure formed above a surface of the substrate, wherein the semiconductor stacked structure comprises:
 two light-emitting modules, each light-emitting module of the two light-emitting modules comprises an active layer, a first cladding layer, and a second cladding layer, wherein the active layer is installed between the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer, the active layer comprises multiple lasing spots along a first direction, the multiple lasing spots of the each light-emitting module are used for generating multiple laser beams, and multiple lasing spots comprised in the two light-emitting modules form a two-dimensional lasing array; and 
 a tunnel junction installed between the two light-emitting modules; 
 
 a first electrode layer formed above the semiconductor stacked structure; and 
 a second electrode layer formed above another surface of the substrate; 
 wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are used for controlling the multiple lasing spots of the two light-emitting modules to generate laser beams of the two-dimensional lasing array. 
 
     
     
       2. The distributed feedback laser array of  claim 1 , wherein polarity of the first cladding layer is different from polarity of the second cladding layer. 
     
     
       3. The distributed feedback laser array of  claim 1 , wherein the first cladding layer is installed above the active layer, and the active layer is installed above the second cladding layer. 
     
     
       4. The distributed feedback laser array of  claim 1 , wherein the active layer comprises a semiconductor material for generating the multiple laser beams, and the semiconductor material is indium gallium arsenide phosphide (InGaAsP) or indium gallium aluminum arsenide (InGaAlAs). 
     
     
       5. The distributed feedback laser array of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is composed of indium phosphide (InP). 
     
     
       6. The distributed feedback laser array of  claim 1 , wherein the first cladding layer is composed of indium phosphide (InP) or indium gallium arsenide phosphide (InGaAsP), and the second cladding layer is composed of indium phosphide (InP). 
     
     
       7. The distributed feedback laser array of  claim 1 , wherein the tunnel junction is composed of indium gallium arsenide/indium phosphide (InGaAs/InP), or indium gallium arsenide/indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs/InGaAs), or indium aluminum arsenide/indium phosphide (InAlAs/InP), or aluminum arsenide/indium phosphide (AlAs/InP). 
     
     
       8. The distributed feedback laser array of  claim 1 , wherein a material of the first electrode layer is titanium (Ti), or platinum (Pt), or gold (Au). 
     
     
       9. The distributed feedback laser array of  claim 1 , wherein a material of the second electrode layer is gold (Au), or germanium (Ge), or nickel (Ni). 
     
     
       10. The distributed feedback laser array of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer is used for controlling at least one lasing spot of the multiple lasing spots to generate at least one laser beam of the multiple laser beams. 
     
     
       11. The distributed feedback laser array of  claim 10 , wherein the first electrode layer has a predetermined pattern, and the first electrode layer controls the at least one lasing spot of the multiple lasing spots to generate the at least one laser beam of the multiple laser beams through the predetermined pattern. 
     
     
       12. A distributed feedback laser array, comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a semiconductor stacked structure formed above a surface of the substrate, wherein the semiconductor stacked structure comprises:
 two light-emitting modules, each of the two light-emitting modules comprises multiple lasing spots along a first direction, wherein the multiple lasing spots of the each light-emitting module are used for generating the multiple laser beams, and multiple lasing spots comprised in the two light-emitting modules form a two-dimensional lasing array; and 
 a tunnel junction installed between the two light-emitting modules; 
 
 a first electrode layer formed above the semiconductor stacked structure and having a predetermined pattern, wherein the first electrode layer controls at least one lasing spot of the multiple lasing spots to generate at least one laser beam of the multiple laser beams through the predetermined pattern; and 
 a second electrode layer formed above another surface of the substrate; 
 wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are used for controlling the multiple lasing spots of the two light-emitting modules to generate laser beams of the two-dimensional lasing array.